
If the over-ambitious Trump Empire engulfs Canada, Panama, and Greenland it would not be surprising. The United States had not long back, snatched California, Texas, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona and parts of some other adjoining states from Mexico—then a big country–after two years of war (1846-1848). In 1898 it fought with Spain to take Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the distant Philippines. One wonders why in his Second Coming Donald Trump is not talking about incorporating Cuba—if not the Philippines–once under the occupation of the United States.
In between it bought Alaska from Russia in 1867.
The two World Wars came as a distraction for the United States’ expansionist design in the vicinity as it got sucked into the bloody conflicts in far-off Europe. It joined World War I much later and in World War II also initially maintained distance. However, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour on December 6-7, 1941, and the subsequent declaration of war on it by Germany and Italy compelled Washington to ultimately join the bloodbath which finally ended after the nuking of two cities—Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After that, the US got embroiled in the wars in Korea and Vietnam-Cambodia theatre.
Different War-Zones
The only difference between Trump and his predecessors—both Republicans and Democrats—is that he wants to withdraw from the war zones of West Asia, Euro-Asia, and Africa and is concentrating more on the neighbourhood. He may go for a tariff war with China–as well as Europe—but not in a real battle with Beijing. Otherwise, he would not have invited its President (Xi Jinping) to his inauguration ignoring the traditional friends in Britain, France, Germany, India etc. During his first term, he flew to Singapore and Hanoi to twice meet the North Korean dictator, obviously to ease tension.
Trump is mincing no words to say that the European countries are not contributing five percent of their GDP to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and are depending on the United States—perhaps the habit they had developed since World War I. He, in a way, made it amply clear that his country was not going to plunge into any World War at least during the next four years.
Trump is hitting the traditional imperialist powers of the West where it hurts them most. There is a lurking fear that he may withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. It is difficult to predict whether he will succeed in all his objectives or not, yet the fact is that the previous US regimes, along with the allies in Europe, were responsible for most of the wars, strife, and tensions across the globe. Needless to say, Russia went to war with Ukraine following the decision of the Western powers to include Ukraine in NATO.
No peacenik
Trump is not a peacenik. Had he been so, he would not have called for making Canada the 51st state of the US or threatened to control the Panama Canal and seize Greenland from Denmark. After all, no US President has publicly made such claims on these territories—though there is no denying the fact that installing regimes of its choice in most of these Latin American countries is the favourite pastime of its Deep State.
If the United States acquires these territories it would geographically become the largest country on the planet. Just imagine the scenario then. Without America as an ally, France would be left in the lurch in Africa, where Russia too is increasing its influence.
The three other English-speaking countries—Britain, Australia, and New Zealand—will never appreciate this move to annex Canada. The relationship among these five states, all members of Five Eyes, is very different nature.
The American pressure on European pals to buy its expensive oil, in place of Russian energy, has started taking its toll, especially in Germany, which is facing a severe economic crisis.
Policy in West Asia
But the moot question is what will be the Trump administration’s policy towards the Middle East, especially Iran? Early indications suggest that it played a significant role during the recent talks on cease-fire in Gaza. It was unexpected for the President-elect to put pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the deal.
Middle East watchers are of the view that Trump has not included anti-Iran hardliners like Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, Nikki Haley, Brian Hook, and Kenneth McKenzie in his latest team.
Instead, he appointed Michael DiMino as the deputy assistant secretary of defence (West Asia), who is known for his pragmatic and realistic approach of the US towards Iran. He had sometimes back criticized the fear-mongering surrounding Iran.
DiMino has also advocated for a reduced US presence in the region stating that Washington does not have any critical interests in West Asia and characterized threats there as “minimal to nonexistent.”
But given Trump’s record, it is too early to say anything about him. After all, Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the Golan Heights as its part. He got killed the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Lt General Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. However, in February 2024 he said that Israel was a part of the plan but Netanyahu backed out at the last moment. It was due to his policy that some Arab countries signed the Abraham Accord with Israel and established diplomatic relationships with it. Saudi Arabia was also in the line but then came the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, which changed the entire scenario. Independent observers are of the view that the new administration may review its past policy.
Any adoption of a dovish policy towards Iran and likely withdrawal of the US forces from Syria may upset the Zionist lobby not only in the US but also in several West European countries. Perhaps keeping this in mind, he on January 24 took another turn on Gaza and talked about continuing arms supply to Israel and Egypt. The confinement of the US to the Western Hemisphere may go a long way in changing the world order.